Colonial Seed Cake
Submitted by shayne
Buttery colonial poppy seed cake soaked in milk for a tender, nutty crumb. Dusted with powdered sugar, this heritage recipe is simple to bake and hard to resist.
YIELD
1 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
5 hrsPoppy seed cakes have deep roots in colonial American baking, where seeds were a pantry staple and butter was churned fresh.
This one starts with a trick that makes all the difference: soaking the poppy seeds in milk for a few hours until they soften and release their subtle, nutty flavor into every crumb.
The batter itself is straightforward. Soft butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and flour come together with a quick beat, then the whole thing bakes into a golden, fragrant loaf.
A snowfall of powdered sugar on top is all the decoration it needs.
Chef Tips
- The poppy seed soak is not optional. Those 3 to 4 hours let the seeds bloom and give the cake its signature texture and flavor.
- Butter needs to be very soft, almost spreadable. Cold butter will leave you with a lumpy batter.
- Serve slices plain with afternoon tea, or go all in with a cloud of fresh whipped cream.
- Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cake gets even more moist on day two.
Ingredients
Directions
1>. Combine poppy seeds and milk in a large bowl.
Let stand at room temperature 3 to 4 hours.
Let eggs and butter warm to room temperature for easy mixing.
(Butter should be VERY soft)
Grease and flour an 8½ x 8½ x 8½-inch pan.
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
2>. Add butter, eggs, sugar, vanilla, baking powder and flour to poppy seeds and milk.
Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 1 minute, scraping side of bowl.
Pour into prepared pan.
3>. Bake in 350℉ (180℃) F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.
Cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
Loosen around edges; turn over to cool.
Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.
Serve plain or with whipped cream.
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